Office 341 Francis Hall
Phone (217) 228-5439
Fax 228-5257 e-mail jschlepp@quincy.edu
The Early Exploratory
Internship Program is supported by a grant from the Illinois Cooperative
Work Study Program of
the Illinois State Board of Education and by funds from corporate
and foundation sources. The credit-based program is open to all students. Procedures, Policies and Program Forms
1. Credit Experiences and Paid Internships
2. Internship and Apprenticeship Experiences at Quincy University
3. Procedures and Policies for Interns, Advisors and Intern Supervisors
4. Guidelines for Interns in the Early Exploratory program
5. Internship courses INT 180-280-380-480
6. Comments on internship programs (articles by Nannette Kalis and Randy Brooks)
7. A Sample Employment Log from an Intern in Computer Science
8. A Sample Report Format (Purpose-Method-Plan) from an Intern
9. A Sample Report from an Intern in Accounting
10. A Sample Report from an Intern in Marketing
11. Comments from Interns and Intern Supervisors about the Program
Credit Experiences and Paid Internships: The Early Exploratory Internship Program provides a means for students to get credit for internship experiences that support their academic major and provide opportunities for them to explore careers in professional fields related to their majors. The interns may also be paid, supported by matching funds paid to employers through a grant from the Illinois Cooperative Work Study Program.
Over 150 students each semester pursue internships for credit in academic fields; another 50 students take internships in the EEIP courses INT 180-280-380-480. The INT courses fill a need for many fields (particularly for the pre-professional majors not offered at QU) and allow us to better track and observe the interns who are partially subsidized by the ICWS grant. Students who take INT courses in the summer (or over 18 hours in a semester) receive a cost benefit in the EEIP program and are not required to pay full tuition (a handling fee of $85 per credit hour is charged).
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Freshman and sophomore students have been able to gain experience in their chosen fields through the Early Exploratory Internship Program we have offered since 1993, with the assistance of the Illinois Cooperative Work Study Grant. This has made possible better career choices ‑‑ how can one choose a career without seeing the work setting itself? ‑‑ and greater dedication in the classroom as a consequence of an improved sense of direction.
The stated objectives for the Early Exploratory internship program are:
1) We will expand opportunities for students to
pursue internships, clinical placement, cooperative programs with business
and industry, and other work opportunities linked to a student's academic
program.
2) We will continue to strengthen cooperation
between higher education, business, industry, and government.
3) We will promote school / university partnerships.
4) We will encourage social and community service
in area agencies.
5) We will maximize contributions from
business, governmental and social agencies to support student wages.
6) We will create new opportunities for
partnerships between public and private sectors.
7) We will integrate other components of student
financial aid to reduce reliance on student loans.
8) We will support work experiences for students in
academic programs of engineering, science, math, and education.
9) We will encourage students to seek permanent
employment in
These have been truly remarkable experiences for our students. During the recent Intern and Career Fair in the spring, three of the managers hiring our interns were former interns who had been hired by the companies where they worked. It has increasingly become the case that our graduates with intern experience are hired or rapidly move to managerial success.
Procedures and Policies for Interns, Advisors and Intern Supervisors
Interns: Interns must begin all paid internships (in the Early Exploratory Internship Program) by completing the "Student Employment Application Form". In addition:
1) Those applying for this
program, which is normally funded by a state grant from the Illinois
Cooperative Work Study Program, must be
2) Those applying for credit internships (under the INT 180-280-380-480 course designation) must complete the "Application and Registration Form for Internship or Practicum" form with the Faculty Advisor Dr. John Schleppenbach. It is the responsibility of the student to get departmental signatures and to submit the application to the Registrar. The student intern must also complete employment logs and weekly journals for submission every two weeks, and students in INT 380-480 must complete a formal analytical report. These requirements are described in detail in the "General Guidelines for Student Interns" form.
Advisors: University faculty advisors who help students plan their degree programs should encourage qualified individuals to discuss internship opportunities with the Faculty Advisor for EEIP, Dr. John Schleppenbach, in relationship to their overall program. Students may be able to get additional financial support for an existing internship experience a department sponsors, and they may be able to apply for credit for other apprenticeship experiences whether paid or unpaid.
Intern Supervisors: Students who participate in internship experiences at off-site locations are seeking managerial-level experiences commensurate with the extent of their university training and experience. We have arranged the procedures in our program to make the hiring and management of interns as autonomous as possible for the employer; we reimburse for half the cost of wages so that employers handle employment issues directly. We also provide support through the co-evaluation process and through credit internship procedures. It is the responsibility of the employer (intern supervisor) to:
1) See that all application and evaluation forms are completed and submitted to the EEIP.
2) See that all employment logs are completed and submitted to the EEIP.
Intern supervisors are invited to contact the Faculty Advisor for EEIP, Dr. John Schleppenbach, to discuss any aspect of the program or process.
General Guidelines for Student Interns
1. Set Learning Goals:
What do you hope to do and learn? Share with faculty advisor and other Interns:
a. What do you hope to gain from the internship? How will you benefit?
b. What do you hope to learn during the course of your internship?
c. How will you examine the social nature of your relation to colleagues in the workplace?
2. List the things you want to understand better from the internship, and list questions you hope to answer through observation.
3. List added questions and goals not anticipated.
4. How have you sought help, sought additional experiences, conducted interviews, and called for the expertise of those on site as mentors?
5. Plan your time and the means for reflecting on experience:
a. Reflect on a regular basis, at a minimum after every fifteen hours on the job.
b. Keep a fluid journal, divided into different sections so that things can fit together by their relationships, with headings and titles. Don=t write each entry the same way.
c. Respond to earlier concerns and changing questions which emerge, and jot down key ideas. Include drawings, photos, and samples of documents.
d. Use pre-set objectives for selecting field experiences; choose them according to changes they produce, and try to measure progress. Don=t stress chronological time.
7. All records must be both on paper (on disk also, if possible), with a signed release, so that we can use it in newsletters and in workshops. All work must be completed during the semester during which the intern has enrolled for credit.
8. Students in INT 180-280 (lower division freshman/sophomore) must produce a journal with the following minimum guidelines:
a. A prospectus (outline of goals) and journal summary (500 word minimum) for each fifteen-twenty hours of work, for 150 hours.
b. Documentation (employment logs and co-evaluation forms will be used).
9. Students in INT 380-480 (upper division junior/senior) must produce:
a. A prospectus and journal summary, and documentation.
b. A formal report (with purpose-method-plan) of 6-10 pages.
c. An account of experiences (50-150 words) for the newsletter, and a workshop oral presentation (5-15 minutes individually) and discussion with other interns.
INT 180 / INT 280. (50 hours per .5 credits; maximum = 1.5
credits per course)
INT 380 / INT 480. (Fifty hours per 1 credit; maximum = 3
credits per course)
INT 180 Students may explore a career field directly related to their academic
major. The student agrees to work during a semester in a business or agency for
50-150 hours. The student will complete an employment log and weekly journal
for the Intern Faculty Advisor (and, in some cases, also for a faculty or
administrative staff member) and will complete a co-evaluation form with the
employer (50 hours = .5 credits; maximum per semester = 1.5).
INT 280 Students may continue to explore a career field related to their
intended major, for 50-150 hours per semester. An employment log, weekly
journal, and co-evaluation form will be required. Arrange with Intern Faculty
Advisor (.5 - 1.5 credits).
INT 380 Students in upper division coursework who are seeking to explore a
career field at an off-campus business or agency may do so in conjunction with
the Intern Faculty Advisor (and, in some cases, also with a faculty or
administrative staff member). The student will be required to complete an
employment log, a weekly journal, and a co-evaluation form. In addition, the
student intern must provide an analytical report for the Advisor (50 hours = 1
credit; maximum per semester = 3).
INT 480 Students may continue to explore a career field, for 50-150 hours per
semester. An employment log, weekly journal, co-evaluation form, and analytical
report will be required. Arrange with Intern Faculty Advisor (1 - 3 credits).
from Nannette Kalis,
in "
1. Conduct a needs assessment [this is done with our “Conditional Agreement”].
2. Seek out a variety of funding sources [this is done with state ICWS and matching funds and with direct hiring].
3. Work around budget and time constraints [our programs are partially supported by student assistance through college work-study, based on interest income].
4. Create an efficient scheduling system for projects [through regular contacts --telephone, personal visits, newsletters and direct mail—our Faculty Advisor meets with Intern Supervisors, members of External and Internal Advisory Committees and Human Resources directors].
5. Use a healthy dose of instincts when screening students [the EEIP relies on the expertise of faculty advisors in specific fields—accounting, business, communications, education, science and social science] and on interviews.
6. Be flexible with student schedules [Intern Supervisors have come to recognize the demands of student schedules and work with students on the matter].
7. Make the experience valuable for students [We encourage projects with public service organizations, we meet for seminar presentations each semester, we meet for the Intern and Career Fair and we publish student and employer comments in our Newsletter].
8. Set clear expectations for all parties [the Handbook represents that value].
9. Recognize accomplishments [one form of recognizing accountability, as Kalis suggests, is providing payment for interns; we recognize them in other ways (see 7].
10. Get feedback [our co-evaluation forms serve us well, as do student journals].
from Randy Brooks, in "Observation and Reflection in Internships", in the National Society for Experiential Education, December 1993. He makes the following observations:
1. Set learning goals. Make these "in the form of questions you hope to answer based on observations and experiences in the workplace …. these learning goals are not the same as task or reward goals."
2. Don't go native. While interns are tempted "to take on the new employee identity … remember that you are a student attempting to learn as much as possible from these experiences."
3. Plan times and means for reflecting on experiences.
4. Document your learning (but make it your documentation).
5. Seek four levels of documentation: noticing, remembering, organizing, and explaining.
A
Sample Employment Log for a Computer Science Intern
Week of April 10, 2000
Today I called about a part for the printer. Worked with
day to do this.
Week of April 17 , 2000
Today I worked on a report for accounting, and I moved a computer around. I also worked on Front Pages trying to get this web page to work. I looked on the Internet for a good 3 hrs trying to find out how to go about doing this. I found little valuable information. It was very irritating all that time and I found nothing to help solve the problem.
Week of April 24, 2000
This week I'm working on a web page for use within the company. I'm having problems getting it to submit information to e-mail or to a database. I'm also working on
a printer that has a problem ejecting paper out when the computer is turned back on. I made some changes in the BIOS in integrated peripherals on the parallel port mode but
this change did not work. So it's back to the Internet to try and find HELP! I changed information in the purchase requisition reports; the columns were not wide enough and it was cutting off information.
Week of May 1,2000
This week I have been very busy with school and only worked
two days. On Monday I worked on a report for Kim and then did some Updates on
all the computers in the office. Today is the last day of my internship and I
worked on adding and removing some accounts to the interoffice email.
A
Sample of a Format for an Analytical Report (Purpose-Method-Plan)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
My internship at U.S.
Cooler started in January 2000 and went through May of 2000. I was hired to
work in the computer department where I did a variety of different duties.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this
analytical report is to give an overview of my internship at U.S. Cooler.
Although, I performed a variety of different duties at U.S. Cooler, the main
purpose of my internship was to learn how a computer department was run and the
different problems that occur.
METHOD:
From my experience over
the past five months I will discuss the following points:
1. Each week and what
was done
2. My ability to use
technology and the different skills that I have obtained through school
PLAN:
In this analytical
report I will give a brief summary of my internship experience at U.S. Cooler.
I will discuss what was done each week and the progress that was made. In
Conclusion, I will show
how I will be more prepared for the work force.
A Sample Report from an Accounting Intern (INT 380)
Goals/0bjectives/Accomplishments
By Intern D.S. (September
2000)
My internship for the
Summer Semester 2000 was with
I accepted the intern
position because I wanted to work first-hand with a successful accounting firm
to discover what an accountant does on a daily basis. Learning from a
book is not quite the same as actually doing the
work. I did accomplish my major objective and learned quite a bit in the
process.
Accounting is a very
methodical and tedious industry. It requires strict attention to detail,
something that I have had to force myself to adhere to. It is probably as
detail
oriented as legal work. I have personally observed that
accounting is the backbone of all businesses, and, with a poor accounting
system, a business is not very likely to succeed.
Accountants are a rather
dry breed of individuals, but this is only true because of the nature of their
work. It is impossible to pore over numbers accurately while at the same time
carrying on lively conversations or having other interactions with persons. It
requires a lot of concentration and detail analysis. I must admit that I have
also had to struggle with this reality because I
thrive on interaction with other people, both in and out of work. Personally, I
will have to pursue some employment goal that combines some accounting along
with some marketing or sales for me to be happy and successful in my accounting
endeavors.
One thing is crystal
clear to me because of my work experience: bookkeeping and accounting are not the same thing, not by any stretch of the
imagination. Bookkeeping
is the day-to-day in-put and recording of
transactions of a business. It is quite tedious, very detailed, and frankly,
quite boring. Bookkeeping is the backbone of accounting, and to bookkeepers of
course, the most important part, but it is only the beginning of accounting.
However, one must first understand the bookkeeping aspect to be successful
and to move on, for without understanding where the
data comes from, it is hard for one to make any reliable interpretations of the
data. I have worked with the bookkeeper in our firm and she is quite an
exceptional person. Without her the firm would definitely be lacking. I have
been exposed to numerous accounting software packages and have in-put hours and
hours of data over my summer intern period. I have seen companies that keep
very good records and I have seen companies that keep virtually no records. By
far the most accurate and reliable and, of course, the easiest to work with,
are the companies that
keep good records. They are, by no surprise, the most
successful companies also.
Through my observations
and experiences, accountants are revered throughout the community. ABD&G
consists of four partners, all of whom are outstanding and exceptional members
of their community. They are all very active in civic organizations and are on
the boards of many schools, churches, and other community groups that serve the
city.
Continuing education is
another critical component of being a successful accountant. The accounting
industry, like the legal system, is constantly undergoing changes and a
successful accountant must stay abreast of all the changes
in order to survive. This is especially true in the area of taxes, both for
individuals and corporations. Each year the
changes to the federal tax code alone are voluminous and
mind boggling to the individual. Accountants rely heavily on an up-to-date
library of accounting regulations
and policies.
While I have only worked
with the firm for a few months, I believe I have observed a lot of the
qualities that make an accountant successful. In my future employment I would
like to learn more of the interpretive analysis that accountants do for
businesses for I feel this is the true worth of an accountant: to be able to
interpret data and to make future
predictions.
A Sample Report from an Intern in Marketing (INT 380)
TO: Dr. John
Schleppenbach
FROM: Intern R.H.
DATE: May 8, 2000
MEMO: Report of projects
completed at Harris Corporation
Harris Corporation is a
big manufacturer of equipment for the broadcast industry. Almost on a daily
basis, Harris grows larger with acquisitions and mergers on many levels. I
myself only scratched the surface of Harris' capabilities in the short time I
was an intern in their Market Research Department.
Working under the Intern
Supervisor, a Market Research Manager, I learned many things. At first, I was
started out on simple projects. My first was to call all television stations in
our database that had Paxson Communications listed as
a "group owner", in order to weed out wrong entries. Paxson is a growing family network, but they only own a few
Stations. They hold licenses with many stations, however, but that is not the
same as ownership. My boss ran a query that listed all of the stations we had
under Paxson ownership, and then I began the calling.
Typically, it was as simple as asking the secretary answering the phone.
My next assignment was
to call radio and television stations in order to update their profiles and
verify equipment information. Harris keeps a database of every radio and
television station they can find, whether they buy from Harris or not. This is
done on a daily basis by one of the three people in this department. I had to
be friendly, realizing the people I called were very busy and were getting
nothing out of my inquiries. This task was fairly simple, and monotonous. Due
to the large number of radio and television stations in the world, this task is
never completed. These stations make changes often, and Harris always tries to
keep track of them. The way it works out, because of the large volume of
stations to reach, each station is typically updated only once every couple of
years.
Knowing that I was an
intern from the Marketing program at
The first survey was to
see where the current market situation was, regarding engineering resources,
including the availability of people, their abilities, and other areas such as
workload. This survey took particularly longer and produced fewer results due
to the fact that there were many open-ended questions. I got to talk with the
engineers on a more personal level this way. I became accustomed to some of the
technical terminology, and where their opinions, as engineers, were positioned.
I listened to complaints, praises, and idle chitchat, which hopefully
strengthened the relationship between Harris and the customer. Not only was I
the researcher collecting data, I was the human link between the product, the
company, and the customer. These results gave Harris engineers an idea if
contracting engineering work would be a good business field to enter.
The second survey I
completed was a little different. During the previous summer, Harris
Headquarters had completed a customer satisfaction survey for four separate product
divisions. The results were already compiled into a large report, with
statistical data. Certain questions were rated for two things: importance and satisfaction.
If there was a gap of –l or more, I was to call back these stations and get
qualitative information as to why there was dissatisfaction. Previously, all
that had been tabulated was the quantitative results from the ratings. In this
case, I had to listen to their answers, and ask questions to bring out the most
specific details possible. Some engineers could not remember why they had
answered the way they did, and I had to try to prod their memories by reading
notes that another interviewer had made the first time. These results supplied
customer service with information on which areas need to be improved upon with
sales.
The third survey was by
far my largest, especially in terms of the number of returns. This survey was,
again, for Harris engineers. With so much of the broadcast business going
digital, even the small pieces of equipment, like consoles, are being
considered for change. I surveyed 45 engineers about the current consoles they
were using in their radio stations. I got all of the specifics on their
features, their manufacturers, their installation year, etc. I then asked them
to rate given features that could be applied to new digital consoles, if they
could foresee changing from their current analog consoles. This provided
results showing if there is a large enough potential market for digital
consoles and if so, what specifications are most important to the user. I did
not get to see the final report to be distributed, as it is still being
completed and my internship is over.
I enjoyed working at
Harris because it gave me insight into what the real workplace is like. I
learned how to work with others, how to be independent, and how to ask for help
when needed. I learned how to use new software and how to manipulate my way
through surveys so as not to sound as if reading a script. I learned how to
sort through all the results to report only the key important findings. I
learned how to be more self-motivated because tasks were given to me to be
completed on my own. Having my own office encouraged this behavior because I
had to learn to utilize my time to meet deadlines without the constant prodding
of a boss or teacher, something most college students are used to.
Interim Evaluation
Report for
Employer
Comments (from Agreement Forms and Evaluations):
1) KHQA-TV Production Manager: "We find the program very useful, and we are extremely pleased with the quality of the interns."
2) QuincyNet Intern Supervisor: "A great program that is a win-win situation for all involved."
3) North American Water Group Quality Control Manager: "The interns continue to be a very valuable part of our company. Their expertise in the lab and help out in the production area are very much needed. The interns have been dependable and hard-working individuals. I do hope this program continues on since it not only serves us but the students as well."
4) Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce Intern Supervisor: "We are happy with this program. QU has sent some quality people to us."
5) MaxEcom, LLC, President: "Excellent program. Very helpful to both employer and intern."
6) Your Electronic Warehouse/ Quincy Discount Travel President: "Great program for young students. These programs are working very well. Keep up the good work."
7) Members First Credit Union President: "We think the program is a great opportunity for the students and employers."
Comments from
Employers (from Fall 2000 Newsletter):
Here’s
what employers have said about the work of our
Great River Economic Development Foundation:
Dear Dr. Schleppenbach:
It has been our pleasure to have worked with Dominique. We will really miss her – she was so instrumental in helping with so many projects in our office! Thank you for the part you and QU have had in bringing her to us.
--Jim Mentesti, Nancy Kinnally, Sharon Tweedell, Kathy Anastas and Connie Hoyt
Midwest
Sunray Lighting in
Dear Dr. Schleppenbach:
I just want to let you know how much we appreciated the fine student you sent to work for us this summer. Her professionalism and the quality of her work are to be commended. We hate to see her leave and go back to school. She has added much to our workplace.
Thank you for the opportunity to be part of your internship program. If you have any other students with Julie’s qualifications, we would definitely entertain the idea of another internship next year.
--George Grindstaff, Operations
Manager (copied to Robert Mejer)
Comments from Interns (from Fall 2000 Newsletter):
1) Maureen Brandon, an intern at MeyerPolleck Advertising, reports:
Before my job at MeyerPolleck,
I felt I had a general understanding of the PR field. I had experienced PR
activities first hand at
2) Rebecca Huston, an intern at Harris Corporation, reports:
Harris Corporation is a big manufacturer of equipment for the broadcast industry. Almost on a daily basis, Harris grows larger with acquisitions and mergers on many scales. I, however, only scratched the surface of Harris' capabilities in the short time I was an intern in their Market Research Department.
I enjoyed working at Harris
because it gave me insight into what the real workplace is like. I learned how
to work with others, how to be independent, and how to ask for help when
needed. I learned how to use new software, how to manipulate my way through
surveys so as not to sound as if reading a script and how to sort through all
the results to report only the key important findings. I learned how to be more
self-motivated because tasks were given to me to be completed on my own. Having
my own office encouraged this behavior because you have to learn to utilize
your time to meet deadlines without the constant prodding of a boss or teacher,
like most college students are used to.
David Stewart, an
intern at
My internship
was with
My principal duties with the firm included managing their library, proofing financial statements for accuracy, proofing income taxes for both individuals and corporations, inputting data for companies, and assisting clients whenever necessary. I accepted the intern position because I wanted to work first hand with a successful accounting firm to discover what an accountant does on a daily basis. Learning from a
book is not quite the same as actually doing the work.
I did accomplish my major objective and learned quite a bit in the process. While I have only worked with the firm for a few months, I believe I have observed a lot of the qualities that make an accountant successful. In my future employment I would like to learn more of the interpretive analysis that accountants do for businesses for I feel this is the true worth of an accountant: to be able to interpret data and to make future predictions.